November 19, 2026
Dr. Hendrik Poinar PhD
McMaster University Michael G. DeGroote Chair in Genetic Anthropology
“The Causes and Consequences of the Black Death”
Pieter Bruegel the Elder’s The Triumph of Death (1562) is profoundly intertwined with the trauma, legacy, and cultural memory of the Black Death (bubonic plague). While it was painted more than two centuries after the initial pandemic outbreak of 1346–1353, the artwork serves as a vivid manifestation of Europe’s lingering, multi-generational fear of pestilence
A world-renowned evolutionary geneticist specializing in ancient DNA, Dr. Poinar has uncovered minute traces of organic molecules in museum collections, fossils and sediments to uncover the genomes for the Black Death, the 1849 cholera epidemic, and the first complete ancient smallpox genome, among others. In our modern time, his lab developed a very effective rapid testing procedure for the COVID 19 virus. Recipient of many excellence in teaching awards, Dr. Poinar was named Distinguished University Professor by McMaster in May 2026.
Hendrik Poinar is involved in collaborative research with an interdisciplinary team investigating the epigenetic basis of aging in the archaeological record. As an expert in ancient DNA methods as applied to skeletonized bone, he will supervise the collection of data on methylation patterns from a documented skeletal collection to help form the basis of chronological and epigenetic age estimation methods, and to explore the relationship between aging, skeletal frailty, and osteoporosis risk.
He is a molecular evolutionary geneticist and biological anthropologist by training, and rely heavily on interdisciplinary research. He uses both chemical and molecular techniques to elucidate the state of preservation within forensic, archeological and paleontological remains. This information is subsequently used to devise novel techniques to extract the molecular information (DNA, RNA and/or protein sequences) and use it to address anthropological questions, such as the identification of pathogens responsible for past pandemics (i.e. The Black Death, The Plague of Justinian) as well as the evolutionary dynamics of infectious disease (i.e. Vibrio cholera).
Join us November 195, 2026, cocktails 6pm, dinner 7pm, at the Oakville Conference Centre for a three-course meal, good company, and an interesting talk!
Members $65, Non-Members $75
Ticket sales close at midnight Monday November 16
